Draft-gear.



J. F. COURSON.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 9. |909.

Patented Apr. 25, w16.

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V 1 l #l my A J. F. COURSON.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. 1909.

Patented Ap'r. 1916.

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JOI-IN F. COUISON, OF PITCAIRN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT-GEAR.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

Application filed March 9, 1909. Serial No. 482,318.

which the following is a specification, refer-l ence being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

. My invention relates to the class of friction draft gearing' or rigging for railway cars, etc., and it has for its object to provide a draft gearing of simple construction and high efiic iency,'and is designed to utilize the wedging and releasing qualities of wedge blocks between the central buliing member and surrounding friction member or members, having faces disposed at varying angles, means for insuring positive release by the central pressure bar and its parts, together with other features of construction, as shall be more fully hereinafter set forth in the. specification and as embodied in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention z-Figure 1 isa view of the mechanism in side elevation partly in section, showing the parts in extended position. Fig. Q is a similar View showing the parts compressed, as in buliing. Figs. 3 and 4: are cross sectional views on the lines lll-IH and lV-lV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal horizontal section on the linel V-V of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail View of the central pressure bar. Fig. 7 is a similar view of one of thc friction blocks. Fig. 8 is a similar view of one of the clamping and releasing blocks. Fig. 9 is a similar view of the cylinder.

ln the drawings, 2 represents the draw bar of the coupler fixedly connected with the yoke 3 by transverse rivets 4 in the manner customary in this art,.said yoke embracing the casing or cylinder 5 at top and bottom as shown, the yoke and casing being located between thedraft sills 6, 6.

7 is a filling block or follower plate set against the rear end of casing 5 and against the outer end of which block bears the rounded end 8 of the strap 3 with an inter posed filling block9, preferably secured to the end of the strap, as shown.

1() is a follower plate, like plate 7 each of which plates bears against front and back stops 11, 1'2, respectively, of any suitable construction, providing abutments against pulling and buffing respectively.

13 represents a1 plurality of friction blocks, exteriorly cylindrical when assembled, of segmental form, inserted within the front of cylinder 3 and bearing by their inner ends against a spring 111, which in turn bears backwardly against theinner rear end of the cylinder. y

15 represents the combined clamping or wedging and releasing blocks, of the'same number as the friction blocks and assembled therewith as shown, around the central pressu're bar 16. Said bar normally bears by its forward head against the front follower plate l0; is pushed inwardly thereby in butling, and is arrested and held relatively stationary against the outwardly moving clamping and releasing blocks 15 in pulling.

As shown, the inner faces of, friction blocks 13 are tapered as at 17, 17, at an acute angle to the longitudinal center of the draw bar, the outer faces of the blocks 15 being similarly tapered at the same angle, las at 1S, 18, and contacting therewith. The central pressure bar 16 is likewise provided with outer inclined wedge faces 19, 19, at a more abrupt or obtuse angle to the longitudinal center of the draw bar, and these faces engage corresponding inner faces 20, 20, of blocks 15.

The space between faces 17, 17; faces 18, 1S; faces 19, 19; and faces 20, 20; may be designed in any suitable manner for clearance and strength while the inner end of the bar 16 is provided with a fianged retaining button or terminal 21 engaging forwardly against the ends of blocks 15.

In assembling the parts, the spring is placed within the cylinder and followed with the central pressure bar with its clamping and releasing blocks and the surrounding friction blocks. The cylinder and its contents is then located within the yoke between the follower plates which are then set up against the abutments and supported by the underY plate 22 or any other suitable means, when the apparatus is in condition for operation.

The'operation is Ias follows: In bufling the impact is imparted through follower plate 10 to the pressure bar 16 which by its faces 19 bearing against abruptfaces 2O of the blocks 15, carry them backwardly, which longitudinal travel results in the outer wedging faces 1S of said blocks acting against the inner faces 17 of friction blocks 13, forcing them outwardly into frictlonal l engagement with the inner peripheral face of' cylinder 'At the same time the inner ends offthe friction blocks compress spring 14 backwardly against the .inner end of the cylinder, the resulting friction and spring resistance being in proportion to the builing blow. On 4the other hand lin pulling, yoke `Sattached to the draw bar 2 carries rear follower plate forwardly, pressure bar 16 remaining stationary against the front stationary follower plate 10. The front end of `spring 14 bearing against friction blocks 13 results in their separation upon the wedging faces ofvblocks 15, said blocks bearing outwardly against the more abrupt angular faces 19 of the bar. After either buiiing or pulling,

when the pressure is released, blocks 15 will travel rearwardly relative'to block 16, due to the` more abrupt angles of contacting' faces 19 and 20, resulting in loosening of their engagement with the friction blocks and effecting the release of the friction blocks from the cylinder. This operation is likewise facilitated by the'eXpansion of spring 14l,tending 4to press the cylinder and friction bloclrsl 13 apart, vwhile lterminal 21 of the bar 16 prevents unduev,longitudinal movement of the blocks 15. By this construction more acute outer sloping faces thereof withinner corresponding faces of the friction blocks. By this construction it will be seen that the lcombination of the different angularity in the several parts results in the creation of less pressure outward toward the cylinder walls by the faces 19 of the pressure bar, than longitudinal, thereby effecting wedging action bv the more acute faces 17 and 18.

The construction is extremely powerful and composed of a few parts assembled in very compact form. It is simple in construction and so arranged as to continue to perform its functions withoutdeterioration of the parts.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a friction draft gear, the combina tion with the casing, of friction blocks, ay

central angle-facedpressure bar, and interposed dilferential angle wedge blocks having a spring interposed between the end of the cylinder and said friction blocks, substantially as set forth. l

3. In a friction draft gear, the combination with the casing, of a plurality of segmental friction blocks having inner inclined wedge faces, a corresponding -series of clamping and releasingblocks having outer faces corresponding thereto and inner inclined differential angle faces, and a relatively stationary pressure bar having chrresponding faces in engagement therewith, substantially as set forth. l

el. In a friction draft gear, the combination with the draft sill structure, of aV forward and back follower plate, a cylinder and an angle-faced pressure bar interposed between said follower plates, a plurality of interiorly angled friction blocks, differential Aangle clamping and releasing wedge blocks interposed between the friction blocks and pressure bar, a draw bar, and means operatively connecting the draw bar with the cylinder, substantially'as set forth.

5. In a friction draft gear, the combination with the draft sill structure, of a forward and back follower plate, a cylinder `and angle-faced pressure bar interposed bc- `tween said follower' plates,ba plurality of interiorly angled friction locks, differential angle clamping and releasing wedge blocks interposed between the friction blocks and pressure bar a draw bar, and means operatively connecting tlie draw ,bar with the cylinder, with back and front abutinents for the follower plates mounted in the draft sill structure, substantially as setforth.

6. In a friction draft gear, the combination with the draft sill structure, of a front and back follower plate and bearings therefor, a draw bar, a cylinder, means operatively connecting the draw` bar with the cylinder, a central angle-faced pressure bar normally engaging the front follower plate, a plurality of interiorly angled friction blocks, differential angle clamping and releasing wedge blocks interposed between the friction blocks and the pressure bar, and a spring, substantially as set forth.

7.' In a friction draft gear, the combination with the casing, of friction blocks, a central angle-faced pressure bar, interposed diderential angle wedge blocks having faces vengagingthe friction blocks and said bar,

and means limiting longitudinal releasing movement of the Wedge blocks with relation to the pressure bar, substantially as set forth.

8. In a friction draft' gear, the combination with the casing, of friction blocks, a central angle-faced pressure bar having a terminal retaining abutment, and interposed diierential angle wedge blocks having faces engaging the friction blocks and said bar and adapted to abut by their ends against said abutment, substantially as Set forth.

9. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with the draw-bar, spring and coacting friction members, of a compound Wedge having a blunt `Wedge member and a collapsible acute Wedge member, the latter acting against the friction members to produce high cushioning capacity, and the former against the draw-bar to insure a perfect, certain and reliable release action; substantially as specified.

10. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, spring and coacting friction members, said spring reactmg at one end against one of said frictionv members and at the other end against the @oplet et this patent may be other of said friction members to separate them, of a compound spreader device comprising a blunt faced Wedge member and an acute faced segmental Wedge member engaging said blunt Wedge, member and also engaging the friction member, substantially as specified.

11. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, spring and followers, of a longitudinally movable friction shell2 a plurality of segmental friction shoes Withln said shell, said spring reacting at one end against the shoes and at the other end against the shell to separate them, said friction shoes having acute Wedge faces, a

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blunt wedge member and a plurality of acute wedge members engaging said frictin shoes and having blunt wedge faces engaging the Wedge faces of said blunt wedge, substantially as specied.

.In testimonywhereof I aiii-X my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN F. COURSON.

aannemen, D. E. i 

